Racist Monks Protest Rohingya Muslims’ Vote
"No matter what the parliament has adopted concerning this issue, the ANP will continue fighting relentlessly until the white card holders are not allowed to vote," the Arakan National Party, an ethnic political party from Rakhine state, said in a statement cited by Reuters on Friday, February 6.
The Burmese parliament, on February 3, granted white card holders the right to take part in a future referendum on amendments to the constitution.
White cards or identification cards are hold by few Rohingya Muslims who have full citizenship in the predominately Buddhist country.
Holding the white cards, Rohingya used their right to vote twice in a 2008 referendum to approve Myanmar’s military-drafted constitution and 2010 elections.
The parliament's approval of white cards' right to vote may pave the way for Rohingya to take part in General election scheduled later this year.
Criticizing the approval, nationalist monks and several politicians warned to hold mass rallies next week unless the parliament cancels its decision.
On the other hand, Rohingya politicians warned that next week's protests will foster "instability" and "disrupt democratic reforms" in the restive country.
"They are comprised of racist politicians and ultranationalists," Tha Aye, a Rohingya political leader, said.
Described by the UN as one of the world's most persecuted minorities, Rohingya Muslims are facing a catalogue of discrimination in their homeland.
They have been denied citizenship rights since an amendment to the citizenship laws in 1982 and are treated as illegal immigrants in their own home.
The Burmese government as well as the Buddhist majority refuse to recognize the term “Rohingya”, referring to them as “Bengalis”.
Rights groups have accused the Burmese security forces of killing, raping and arresting Rohingyas following the sectarian violence two years ago.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims have been forced to flee their homes in western Burma since June, 2013, after attacks from Buddhist mobs on their areas.
The violence has displaced nearly 29,000 people, more than 97 percent of whom are Rohingya Muslims, according to the United Nations.
On January 26, the UN passed a resolution calling on Burma to give the Rohingya people citizenship.
